


Eve of Something New

by salesman



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, New Year's Eve, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-09
Updated: 2015-11-09
Packaged: 2018-04-30 20:51:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5179217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/salesman/pseuds/salesman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>Prompt: Kiss unexpectedly at midnight on New Year's!</em>
</p><p>Josephine had outdone herself again. People from all over Ferelden and Orlais were crammed into the penthouse, most of them unknown to Ellana. Celebrities, politicians, high-paid executives... all people she had become accustomed to meeting and would typically bore her to death with their uppity socializing.</p><p>So she remained outside in the icy cold. Alone. On New Year’s Eve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Eve of Something New

Ellana twirled the stem of a champagne flute in her hand, dangling it dangerously over the balcony railing with two fingers. It was freezing outside, and the slinky dress that barely covered her knees should never be worn in winter weather. A brisk breeze rattled her teeth with every breath, yet still she didn’t return to the heat of the party.

What was the point?

Josephine had outdone herself again. People from all over Ferelden and Orlais were crammed into the penthouse, most of them unknown to Ellana. Celebrities, politicians, high-paid executives... all people she had become accustomed to meeting and would typically bore her to death with their uppity socializing.

So she remained outside in the icy cold. Alone. On New Year’s Eve.

Ellana sighed and placed her glass on the railing, taking both hands to her arms and rubbing some warmth into them. New Year’s was so depressing. Another year of her life gone past. What had she even accomplished? She hated thinking about the future, about the choices she would have to make and the inevitable mistakes, and the regret that would follow.

Something warm dropped on her shoulders and she whipped around to see Solas standing behind her. His suit jacket was now wrapped around her, and he smiled at her in that quiet, subtle way he was known to do.

“You look cold,” Solas observed, one side of his mouth curling up a little higher.

“Thanks,” she breathed, turning back to the view of the cityscape below again. A heat crept up her neck, and not from the new, toasty cloth around her arms, but from the man who now leaned over the railing beside her.

For two years, she had worked with him, yet she wasn’t even sure she could call him a friend. He was always carefully professional, except for the rare moment of a flirtatious tease, but that had only happened a handful of times. Three, to be exact. And Ellana knew it to be three times because she thought about them repeatedly. Every time he entered the room, in fact.

“Not enjoying the party?” he asked, watching her with a raised brow.

Ellana shrugged. “It isn’t... my crowd.”

Solas let out a soft chuckle. “Yes,” he agreed. “Not the most enjoyable company, unfortunately.” He smiled, and it was possibly the warmest smile she had ever seen from him.

“TEN!”

The two jumped at the sudden shout from the party. It was the countdown to midnight, the final seconds until the new year. Ellana peeked at the laughing people inside, all beginning to pair up and prepare for their midnight kiss.

Her eyes snuck to Solas, who was still staring at the skyscrapers below and around them. They were the only two people on this balcony. It would make sense to kiss. It was nearly expected to.

But Solas had never shown even a remote amount of interest in her (besides those three flirts, of course). Always an arm’s length away whenever she neared, and sometimes she wondered if maybe he didn’t even  _like_  her. Maybe he secretly despised her. Which would be a shame, since Ellana got butterflies in her stomach when he said her name, and her heart raced if they ever brushed shoulders, and a compliment from him would make her week.

And she was pretty sure a  _kiss_  from him would make her year.

“FIVE!” the people chanted inside. The clock was ticking, the last moments of this long, strenuous year falling away into a fresh one.

Ellana twisted to face him. Solas was already turned towards her, a slight furrow in his brow as his eyes swept down her face. Her body involuntarily slanted towards him, willing him to lean back, wishing that for once, she would have a New Year’s she would want to remember.

Solas caught a piece of the coat around her shoulders between his fingers and tugged her towards him. It was so chilly out, she could see their breaths puffing between them, edging closer and closer into one single little cloud.

“Happy New Year!” the party sang.

Ellana could hear the chatter quiet as people kissed inside, but Solas wasn’t moving. Only staring.

The party cheering started again as pairs broke apart and began to laugh. Fireworks exploded across the sky, and the city burst into song. A new year had started, and the moment to kiss had passed.

“Happy New Year, boss!” Iron Bull yelled, popping his head out onto the balcony. “We’re going to Herald’s Rest, if you two want to join.”

Ellana sighed and shook her head. “Thanks, but I think I’m going to go home,” she told Bull. Shrugging the jacket from her shoulders, she handed it back to Solas and said a short goodbye.

And then Ellana left without waiting for a reply.

The street outside the building was filled with celebrating people competing for taxis. Ellana huffed an aggravated sigh. It could take hours to get a cab tonight. She waved her arm in the air, attempting to hail a car down. Ellana stood on her toes to look down the crowded street. Should she walk to a quieter area?

As she turned to find a new spot, Ellana crashed into a person standing behind her. “Oh, I’m sorr—”

But it was Solas. He lingered a moment, breathless with parted lips before grasping her with his hands until she was pressed against him. For a brief second, he gazed at her, and time became frozen. A stillness caught her breath, raced her heart, muted the oblivious crowd around them.

Then he kissed her. And it was eager and ardent and tasted like champagne, and it set her whole body abuzz, starting from her lips and humming down to her toes.

Solas pulled away as suddenly as he had started. “Happy New Year,” he whispered with a smile, and for the first time in her life, Ellana thought she might actually be looking forward to the future.

**Author's Note:**

> Another drabble from my Tumblr. :)


End file.
